Blog

The last day of the course. I am not good with endings, so this has been an interesting experience for me.

What I've learnt over the last five days is:

I write better in silence. This has been a complete revelation for me. Throughout my school, university and work career I have used music as a way of 'focusing'. It works in those arenas, but it hampers me when I am writing a story. Another lesson I wish I had been able to learn a long time ago

I write well with other people in the room (as long as we are both silent). The companionship give me a lift

The negative emotions I feel when I am writing are all part of the process. The group of people I was with over the last week were incredibly different, but they were all struggling with writing in their own way. Feeling bad about what you write, at some point in the process, is normal

Writing a novel is a marathon. It's hard work, requires guts and commitment, and there is no easy way to do it. Stop bitching, you signed up for this